Book Analysis: Heidi Essay

The book in reference is Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The story tells of a little girl named Heidi who was brought to her grandfather in the mountains. Heidi’s guardian Dete has decided to leave Heidi to her grandfather after both of her parents died. Many of the villagers are aware of the bad tempered Alp-Uncle who lives in the mountains. At first, Alp-Uncle was not really into taking care of Heidi but eventually, he has learned to love her. Heidi’s charisma taught Alp-Uncle loving and caring feelings towards life. Everyday, Heidi would tour the mountains with his friend Peter who is a shepherd. One day, Dete cam back to bring Heidi to Frankfurt and accompany a rich but wheelchair-ridden young girl Klara where Heidi could live in luxury. It was a bad experience for Heidi for she missed Alp-Uncle and the mountains a lot. When the people in the mansion noticed Heidi’s homesickness, she was returned to her grandfather. After a couple of days, Klara has decided to visit Heidi. It was a wonderful experience for Klara which became her healing experience and made her walk. In the end, Klara and her family thanked Heidi and Alp-Uncle for their kindness. There are four main characters in the story; Heidi who is the main character is a simple but very charming little girl. She loves the mountains and nature. She is also caring and loving. Alp-Uncle is Heidi’s grandfather. At the beginning of the story, he was described as a grumpy old man but eventually, Heidi was able to change his outlook in life and was seen with great kindness. Klara is Heidi’s friend in Frankfurt. She is an ill little girl but was inspired to be positive in life with Heidi’s help. Lastly, Peter is Heidi’s friend in the mountains. He is a shepherd. When Klara visited Heidi in the mountains, he was jealous to have Klara as a competition for Heidi’s attention. Eventually, they made three good friends. The book immediately injects a notion that most of the time; females have weaker dispositions in the society. They are represented to be weaker but with superior feelings of emotional understanding. On the other hand, the male characters are presented as leaders and seen as having any uncaring emotions towards others. The book reinforces the social expectations for both genders. One example is the manifestation of Peter’s character who is tasked to do laborious work like herding the goats and sheep. Also, Alp-Uncle was perceived to have more knowledge in carpentry which is basically perceived as a work designed for men. On the other hand, females’ characters are presented in a passive aspect by making them helpless like Peter’s grandmother who is weak and blind and Klara who is also sick. Personally, my favorite children’s book was Peter Pan. Basically, the notion of gender dispositions can also be seen in the story as with Heidi. Peter Pan, as a boy, is projected to have powers and has a quality of leadership. Although he usually gets into troubles, he is able to solve them in the end. Wendy also has the same characteristics as Heidi’s who is caring and loving but dignified. Probably, Peter Pan is marketed towards children who are interested in fantasy. The magical scenarios presented in the story are evident of stirring the imagination of children who are still not yet exploited with notions of gender dilemmas. This gave me a lesson that it is sometimes a matter of initial projection of ideas to younger children that will eventually shape our societies. Works Cited Spyri, Johanna. 1993. Van Gool’s Heidi. London: Magna Books

Functions of Secondary Market

Functions of Secondary Market: The secondary market provides an organized place and the mechanism for trading in securities. They also ensure that the deals struck in the stock are fair and within the framework of law. The efficient functioning of the stock exchange creates a conductive climate for an active and growing primary market for new issues. An active and healthy secondary market in existing securities leads to better psychology of expectations; considerable broadening of investment enquiries renders the task of raising resources by entrepreneurs easier.Good performance and outlook for equities in the stock exchanges imparts buoyancy to the new issue market. The good stock exchange facilities the following important activities in the economy of a country: i. Favorable climate for growth of primary market ii. Widening of investment opportunities for the investor iii. Improving availability of resources for the business enterprises iv. Buoyancy in new issues v. Increasing conf idence among the players of the market Important functions 1.Provide a continuous market: It is the important objective of the secondary market to ensure stability in price as the trading activity progresses. The stock market achieves this aim by providing a continuous market infrastructure to the investor, thereby ensuring liquidity in the market. Some important characteristics of a continuous market are: i. Frequency of trades; ii. Small spread between bid and ask prices; iii. Immediate execution of order; iv. Change in price being minimum as the transaction takes place; The enefits of continuous market are that it creates marketable liquid investments and facilitates collateral lending. 2. Frequency of sales: A market will be liquid only when a buyer/ seller can find seller/buyer. If there are no buyers/sellers for some securities or there is long wait before a buyer/ seller can find counterparty, such market are called illiquid markets. The primary criterion for a good market is whether investors can sell their portfolio holding quickly with minimal price fluctuation at the time of sale.Liquidity occupies a central place in evaluating the efficiency of exchange. The market should have three important dimensions of liquidity. They are: i. Depth ii. Breadth iii. Resilience Depth refers to the situation wherein buy and sell orders are available at the quoted price for the desired quantity. If it is not available, then the market is termed as shallow market. The number of the transaction or the number of orders determines the breadth of the market. Otherwise the market is known as thin.The response to orders to changes in price reflects the resilience of the market. 3. Empirical measurement of liquidity: Empirically, liquidity is measured by the number of days a company’s share is traded, out of the number of days in the year, when the market is open. The number of days particular share is being traded reflects the liquidity of the market. If it is trad ed actively 50%of the days when the market is open, then it is termed as liquid. The variation in price of the share from one trading day to another also determines the liquidity of the share.If the difference between the lowest asked(or offered) price and highest bid-price is wide, the market is said to lack depth and considered shallow. Actually bid- asked spread is an inverse measure of liquidity. ‘ Tick’ as the minimum difference in rates between two orders on the same side i. e. , buy or sell entered on the system for a scrip. Trading in scrips listed on BSE is done with the size of 5 paise, it is 1 paise, in case of mutual funds and others to encourage orders at finer rates and improve liquidity.In United states, variation of one –eighth point in the price from the immediate trade is considered liquid. In our country, the minimum tick start from 0. 25. 4. Fair price determination: The prices in the stock market are determined by the interplay of the forces of supply and demand. When the prices are going up, it is termed as bull phase and when the prices are going down, it is termed as bear phase. As seen earlier active, bidding and two-way auction trading takes place in the stock exchange. The result is as near a market for free trading and free competition, as can be found anywhere.The bargains that are struck are at the fairest price, determined by the basic laws of supply and demand. At time large scale speculator activities raise the price of the share. But such activities are ephemeral in nature. There is no fundamental relationship between book value, par value and market value of share, because the share price may experience a boom if there is large scale investment from an individual or mutual fund company and also during such period too much money chases a few shares.The performance of the stock exchange is also subject to speculation, which at times, drives up the prices above the investment worth and at others, below it. Un der the normal circumstances, one would leave the situation to the forces of the market- what the buyers and sellers willing to bid and to offer. But in India, conscious policy is adopted to make shares attractive to the foreign institutional investors who evaluates our market, in relation to the other emerging markets. The stabilization of the stock market prices around a reasonable level would be desirable. . Aid to Financing Activities: Listed company finds it helpful to sell further issues of their shares in the primary market based on the good performance of their earlier ones. An active market and the good market price’s for the company’s shares makes the task of raising funds through further issues easier. This facilitates the company to command good price for the subsequent primary issue in the market. Rights themselves have an immediate and a wide market in the stock exchanges, provided the price including the premium reflects a fair price.Thus the stock excha nges enable a company to market further issues successfully by creating a continuous market for the rights. 6. Other allied functions: * The market prices established in the stock exchange trading are useful for tax purpose. * The stipulation on disclosure and transparency ensures that the investors have access to information on the listed companies, particularly with regards to their financial condition. * It serves to protect the investor’s interest by eliminating the dishonest and irregular practices rampant in the brokerage trade. To ensure a measure of safety and fair dealing to protect investors interest. * To provide the instant valuation of securities caused by changes in the internal environment. * To induce companies to improve performance since the market price at the stock exchanges reflects the performance and this market price is readily available to investors. * Secondary marketing is vital to an efficient and modern capital market. * In the secondary market, s ecurities are sold by and transferred from one investor or speculator to another. * Risk management

Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management Assignment

Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Assignment Example The chain store is renowned for its efficient supply chain management and control practices, which have enabled it to perform beyond the reach of its competitors in the consumer goods industry (Kallrath & Maindl, 2006). In particular, the company has employed state-of-the-art technologies in most of its operations to help improve service delivery. For instance, starting with bar coding to hasten its supply chain operations, Wal-Mart was among the first companies to follow up bar coding with RFID programs. Although the initial rollout of its RFID tagging programmes flopped, the current rollout, which started in 2010 is expected to be successful (Ingram et al., 2010). In fact, the latest rollout of Wal-Mart’s RFID program really excited its suppliers and vendors with the prospects of better and more efficient operations and increased profits. This paper explores Wal-Mart’s in-house fleet advantages and disadvantages, evaluates its state-of-the-art technologies and cross-d ocking operations. The Benefits of Cross-Docking to Wal-Mart In general terms, cross docking involves turning the demands from a company’s retail stores into purchase orders, which are then forwarded to manufacturers or suppliers (Kumar et al., 2009). The manufacturers then notify the stores about their capacity to produce and deliver the ordered goods in a timely manner. Once produced within the stipulated period, the goods are sent to a staging area where they are packed according to the procurement orders from different stores (Kumar et al., 2009). The goods are then delivered directly to the customers. The pre-requisites of docking are rather basic and easily monitored. The fundamentals pre-requisite are strong building foundations that support the entire cross docking process. The second pre-requisite is dedicated and experienced drivers who recognise and believe in prioritizing customer service above other things. Once employed, the drivers are filtered and assigned dut ies according to their capabilities. Further, the drivers’ reliability and competence to follow the laid down standards should be assessed. Wal-Mart also ensures that its drivers are committed to the standards set in the Private Fleet Driver Handbook. The drivers’ progress is then constantly monitored by the company so that the company is assured of the competence and reliability of its drivers. Fleet coordinators are also important in Wal-Mart’s cross docking operations as they inform drivers on expected time of arrival, departure and delivery of goods, which are quite precise according to Wal-Mart’s standards. Several changes had to be implemented in Wal-Mart’s managerial control if their cross-docking programmes were to be successful. Prior to the adoption of cross-docking, the company’s pricing, promotion and merchandising decision were centralised (Mentzer, 2001). However, with the implementation of cross-docking, focus was shifted to t he â€Å"demand chain† instead of the common supply chain. That is, instead of allowing retailers to push goods into the company’s shelves; customers did more of the pulling, according to their demands, tastes and preference (Kumar et al., 2009). Cross-Docking Saves Companies Time and Money Savings on time and money are the two most obvious and far-reaching benefits that Wal-Mart enjoys from using cross-docking. First, the company has the capacity not only to receive goods immediately but also the

Martin Luther King Jr,s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Critical Essay

Martin Luther King Jr,s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Critical Analysis - Essay Example King attempts to persuade his readers that his position is valid. King defends his stand in the Birmingham Campaign by making skilful use of the rhetorical techniques of ethos, logos and pathos. King begins his letter by using the persuasive technique of ethos to establish his authority and his credentials. He asserts his position as the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which is affiliated with the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR). By categorically stating, â€Å"(I) am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here,† (King, 6), King makes it clear that his presence in Birmingham is at the express invitation of the ACMHR, and is eminently justified. He establishes his credibility as a spokesman for the protestors, and his right to participate in the campaign. King effectively foils his critics’ bid to depict him as an outsider. By acknowledging his critics to be â€Å"men of genuine goodwi ll† (King, 6), and demonstrating his willingness to give their views patient consideration, King enhances his own good-will and position as a fair-minded person. King emphasizes the common ground held by him and his critics. By addressing his letter to his â€Å"Dear fellow clergyman,† King emphasizes their shared religious calling. His repeated allusions to Christian belief and personalities, including his references to the Apostles and Christ, serve to reiterate his commitment to the church and vouch for his good moral character. He categorically states that his primary identity is that of â€Å"a minister of the gospel, who loves the church† (King, 13). Again, he declares that he is â€Å"the son, the grandson and the great-grandson of preachers† (King, 14). King unequivocally tells his critics that he is one of them. Having established his credentials through ethos, King goes on to use logos to convince his readers as to the reasonableness of his stand . His defense of direct-action is a remarkable study in logic. First, King justifies his form of protest by arguing that â€Å"In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action† (King, 7). He then takes up each of these steps in turn and provides evidence to support his direct-action program. First, he calls attention to the fact that â€Å"Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States† (King, 7). Second, he details the failed negotiation process. Thirdly, he gives an account of the preparation for non-violent protest. Finally, he justifies direct action, by eloquently describing it as â€Å"the need for nonviolent gadflies† to goad the authorities to negotiation (King, 8). Again, King logically supports his defiance of the laws by distinguishing between â€Å"two types of laws: just and unjust† (King, 9). He cleverly equates the segregation statute with unjust laws and puts the moral law of the Church above it. This effectively absolves him of any transgression of the law. King links his civil disobedience to that of the Christian martyrs, to Socrates, the American fight for independence and the anti-Gestapo resistance. These analogies support his logic and enable King to defend his argument. There can be no doubt that King is a past master in

Explain the ways in which a subgenre of jazz (e.g. swing, bebop) was a Essay

Explain the ways in which a subgenre of jazz (e.g. swing, bebop) was a rejection or a continuation of the styles that preceded i - Essay Example This paper would attempt to answer this question by taking into consideration the historical development of hard bop and funk in relation to the overall history of jazz, as well as into the specific cultural context where these styles developed. In this case, this paper would first look into the different historical, social and cultural contexts in the development of hard bop, which was an earlier development than funk (Wynn 1994). In this part of the paper, the researcher would try to look into the different musical styles that hard bop adopted, and would describe the ways on how this style rejected or continued earlier styles. The next part of the paper would then tackle the historical, social and cultural contexts in relation with the development of funk, which appeared in the early 1970’s (allmusic.com n.d.). In this part of the paper, the researcher would try to look into the different musical influences and inspirations that led top the development of this jazz style, an d would likewise describe the ways on how this style rejected or continued earlier styles. The next part of the paper would then tackle the historical, social and cultural contexts in relation with the development of funk, which appeared in the early 1970’s (allmusic.com n.d.). In this part of the paper, the researcher would try to look into the different musical influences and inspirations that led top the development of this jazz style, and would likewise describe the ways on how this style rejected or continued earlier styles. The last part of the paper would then formulate a conclusion on whether both hard bop and funk represented a major break in style, or was it merely a continuation, given the cultural and historical development of jazz music in that specific period. The Development of Hard Bop One of the main styles of jazz played in the early half of the 20th century was hard bop. According to Gridley (Wynn 1994, p. 11-12), the term â€Å"hard bop† was actuall y first used in the early 1950’s. Before the development of hard bop, in the early 1940’s, the most popular style of jazz that was played was bebop, also known as bop music (Berendt 1981). Simply put, bebop was known as the type of jazz that actually strived to make it more of an artful music, especially by fusing into jazz new types of chromatics and dissonance (Berendt 1981). In this case, some jazz historians actually claim that hard bop was partially inspired by bebop, or is actually an extension of it, due to the fact that this style also incorporated the dissonance styles of bop music, and that hard bop also tried to make jazz more as an artful music, rather than a popular jazz music as it was in the earlier part of the twentieth century (Wynn, 1994). However, despite these influences, hard bop also had its own characterizations. In the development of its unique style, hard bop incorporated several musical influences, which included rhythm and blues, and even gos pel music (Wynn, 1994). In this case, some of the elements of rhythm and blues and gospel music were actually incorporated into jazz music, which was natural at that time (Rosenthal 1992). According to Rosenthal (1992), in the early 1940’s, rhythm and blues, along with bop, were actually two of the most dominant forces in black music. In this case, Rosenthal further argues that jazz musicians who were to develop the unique style of hard bop also grew up in a time when rhythm and blues, as well as bop music, were popular; in this case, it is natural for them to integrate these styles into the development of hard bop. In the years preceding the development of hard bop, one of the most popular musicians at that time was Tadd Dameron, and he was actually known to have worked with both bop music and rhythm and blues; this historical and

Feminist Philosophy Reader by Alison Bailey and Chris Cuomo Coursework

Feminist Philosophy Reader by Alison Bailey and Chris Cuomo - Coursework Example The second section of the book mostly deals with issues pertaining to sex and gender. This section includes an essay from the now famous work by Simone de Beauvoir – the Second sex, which provides an insightful analysis into what makes the female different from the male from the emotional and psychological standpoint3. It also includes an essay by Judith Halberstam, which deals with transgender, i.e, the confusion that arises from being one gender trapped in the body of the other gender4. Anne Fausto Sterling’s essay also deals with the issue of transvestites and questions whether there should be such a strict delineation between the two genders5. These two articles differ from Beauvoir’s essay, which is primarily centered on the expression of a female identity, while the other two essays mentioned here deal with the identity crises faced by those women who are trapped in men’s bodies and vice versa. Yet another essay in this section, written by Oyeronke, deals with sex and gender from the African perspective and how Western theories may not always be relevant to African subjects6. 2. Section Five of the Book focuses on the political perspectives and implications associated with feminism and philosophy. It includes six essays by various authors. Spivak has dealt with the postcolonial approach to reason and in general, has rejected mainstream colonial literature in her analysis of feminist questions. She suggests that the values of theorists such as Marx and Kant are more relevant in today’s context.

How Women Resisted Patriarchy in Colonial Spanish-America Essay

How Women Resisted Patriarchy in Colonial Spanish-America - Essay Example Looking into confined life in Spanish-American societies reveals that religious convents were an all-encompassing place in which women exploited the opportunity to grasp the actual opportunity of adjusting to the then prevailing male-dominated conditions. Women residing in these isolated but developing into public facilities, for instance, the Santa Clara convent in Cuzco or Mexico’s Saint Jerome convent, while keeping up with consolidation of male domination, sometimes created some influence around them. This enabled these women to manage their individual lives and resist the patriarchy, as the practice was raw in the general society. An overview of the issue According to Martin, Agranoff and Wasserman (2011), Spaniards played a pivotal role in relieving the women of patriarchy by setting up religious facilities which took care of the women through their entire life. And by dedicating their existence to spiritual causes by joining these facilities, to also acquire education, women’s minds could be influenced t the better from childhood. At the convent, these young women were also taken through Hispanic and Christian cultures by these lessons and vows, establishing â€Å"actual† females out of their local groups and dissociating them from other dishonest individuals (Santiago, 2011). Meanwhile, women who were not out of the public domain were manipulated and restrained by the society patriarchs and urged to uphold the conventional traditions, some of which would not work in a liberal and dynamic society to which the culture was advancing. Several elite would advisedly send a close kin to the convent in order to grasp the opportunity and establish significant economic connections through the institution, as convents were a source a percentage of the revenue during the majestic Latin American culture. Nevertheless, once the women were inside, they deviated from male machinations to achieve full self control. Marriages of young women who faile d to profess were also employed as ties to improve and establish patriarchy upheld. Eventually, monastic culture set in among the women. Education in convents Even though, convents provided room for repression of women, which could take place in several methods and further tighten Spanish dominance in Latin American society, these religious facilities also became centers for women’s defiance (Santiago, 2011). The haven that became of Saint Jerome and Santa Clara provided females with new authority and control. The new authority some women believed they had achieved following professing initiatives in such facilities had several features. Securing a place within a convent society enabled women the opportunity to learn and become professionals themselves, a chance that a large percentage of Latin American female fraternity could not cash in on. Women such as Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz seized the only chance to secure an academic life, while she was serving in Saint Jerome. Throu gh the religious institutions, she managed to write and publish several literatures ranging from plays, short stories and poems. These scholarly materials revolved around the need to guarantee the society of women empowerment and autonomy. Marriage restructuring opportunities Residing in convent offered some women opportunities to restructure their marriage and establish their own families. Nuns transformed the convent environment and their residences into places where they could cultivate richly

Discussion on intangible assets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion on intangible assets - Essay Example The assets have propelled various companies such as Coca-Cola to greater heights of performance and competitiveness globally. However, a number of concerns arise with respect to their value as estimated, amortization, and representation. The first concern is that, intangible assets present immense challenges when financial statements of a company are prepared. The challenges emanate since the assets lack definite value compared to tangible assets. The issue leads to the realization of numerous gaps within the process that result to misrepresentation of the actual performance level of a company (Abdallah, 2004). Concerns also arise on whether the value of the intangible assets should be reported at their carrying amounts or fair value amounts. This is a major issue as evident various financial reports given that some assets such as goodwill carries some cost of impairment that affects the value. Likewise, most companies have failed to separate the value of acquired intangible assets in their books as required under GAAP regulations as established in various financial statements. They include the value of the acquired intangible assets in the value of goodwill (Abdallah, 2004). This poses a challenge of establishing t he actual value of a company’s goodwill that determines investment decisions. Overstatement of values of intangible assets that is becoming common in most institutions also forms a significant cause of concern. This occurs due to inaccurate estimation of the useful life of an asset and the amortized value over the useful life period. Subsequently, the validity of the goodwill impairment tests has been raising systematic concerns especially at times of the financial crisis (Abdallah, 2004). The concern arises since the tests causes’ acute increase or decreases in value of the carrying amount of the intangible asset hence affect the overall reliability of the value obtained.

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Case Study - Essay Example Regarding health care, the country has five primary care providers. From these five primary care providers, only one specializes in geriatric care and there is one 54-bed long-term nursing care facility located in the northern region. There is no public transit system because of rural roads. However, residents may call a hospital shuttle program if they need transportation to a physicians appointment. Mr. Thompson, a nurse in community health, and his committee are aware that as the baby-boomer population ages, health care professionals need to prepare for a rapid increase in the number of people older than 65 years of age. The committees purpose is to make suggestions to the health department and county officials about how to prepare for the influx in health services that will be needed for these older adults. For Mr. Thompson to assess the communitys knowledge and beliefs, values and sentiments, goals and perceived needs, norms, problem-solving processes, power, leadership, and influence structures, he should engage in personal interactions with the people in the community. He can do this while attending community events from which he knew interactions will happen. Taking down notes while or after conversing with community members can also be a good method. Aside from interactions or interviews, he could also acquire available written records which might be helpful or may serve as support in his data generation. To maintain an analytical edge during data generation, his self-conscious, reflexive effort will be needed. He should also be mindful with the objective of his study and ensure its congruence with the data that he is generating (Allen and Lyne,

Human Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Human Sexuality Essay James and Mary experience an unsatisfactory sexual relationship due to James’ dysfunction of maintaining an erection half the time. James could be experiencing Performance Anxiety. Performance anxiety is the anxiety a man has when he thinks he is not getting an erection fast enough, or his erection is not firm enough, or does not seem to last long enough. Once a  man experiences even a single case of ED, he may continue a cycle of anxiety about repeated episodes of unsatisfactory erections. He will anticipate erectile problems, fixating on performance rather than the pleasurable aspects of sexual arousal. His ability to relax is hampered, increasing negative self-talk, and his perceptions of self-worth and partner are negative. James is getting frustrated and becoming uninterested in sex. He is also embarrassed about his problem. Mary is also frustrated with his dysfunction. Mary is the one who initiates intimacy but her husband does not respond like she wants him to. He has no desire for intimacy and can mostly keep an erection when he masturbates in the shower and so he avoids intimacy with his wife. He feels that his sexual relationship with his wife is hopeless and does not want to discuss the issue with her. The Dynamics of the Relationship The couple’s relationship is strained and there is no communication when it comes to talking about desires and intimacy. Their sexual relationship is distant and frustrating. James is not turned on by Mary and thinks he would be turned on more if Mary lost weight and wore lingerie. James evidently lacks knowledge about his sexuality. He avoids intimacy with his wife and his first encounter of having an erection was embarrassing and made him confused. Sexual dysfunction can lead to the development of other conditions are more likely to develop other conditions such as depression. People with other conditions such as cardiovascular disease are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction. Diagnostic Impressions A multi-axial system for assessment provides a comprehensive holistic diagnosis that includes a complete picture of not just acute symptoms but all of the factors that makes up mental health. The client in question is James who is having a problem with his sexual dysfunction issue. He was raised in a traditional white neighborhood in the south where his family that did not discuss any intimate subjects like sex, feelings or display affection. The World Association of Sexual Health states that dysfunction can lead to anxiety and effect self-esteem which James has. He is  embarrassed about not being able to have an erection or keep one during intimacy with his wife. Sexual Response Cycle Sexual response cycle is a way in which to understand the process of sexual behavior. It includes both the physical as well as the emotional changes a person experiences during sexual involvement (Capella University). Areas of sexual dysfunction may include: erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation, and performance anxiety etc. The human sexual response cycle has four phases which include; excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. If there is a problem in one of these phases then sexual functioning is lacking. Sexual response is due to changes in ones’ mind and body. Psychologically there are erotic thoughts during arousal and there are changes in the body. Analysis and comparison of the sexual response cycle and the concept of sexual normality Professionals need to be able to discuss sexual functioning, sexual normality and dysfunction with the client. It is important to know about the sexual response cycle, sexual dysfunction problems, gender and cultural issues concerning sexuality. The sexual response cycle helps highlight where sexual dysfunction may occur. In contrast, sexual normality is also represented on this cycle as a positive validation of one’s anticipation which therefore crystallizes one’s experience leading to further positive anticipation (Sewell, 2005).The response cycle starts in the arousal or excitement phase but it would be most useful to consider a desire phase that goes before the arousal or the excitement phase. During the desire phase, physiological sexual arousal is not of primary importance. The sexual response cycle is characterized by physiological and psychological shifts. Psychologically, there is an increase in erotic thoughts (the specific content of which is highly individualized) and a heightened awareness of pleasure sensations from erogenous body zones. With increasing physiological arousal, there is a narrowing of attention such that focal cues are  processed intensely whereas non-focal cues are less likely than usual even to be noticed. Physically, the heart rate increases as well as respiration which also shallows blood flow to the extremities increases, and primary sex organs engorge with blood. Erectile dysfunction happens when there is not enough blood flows to the penis, preventing an erection. Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is the medical term for difficulties obtaining and keeping an erection. It is a sexual health problem that affects about 30 million men. Erectile disorder is common occurrence in men. Attitudes toward sex and performance anxiety are related McCabe (2005). Sexual dysfunction may lead to a lower sex drive to not wanting to have sex at all. Unsatisfied sexual experiences can lead to other various the relational psychological issues. One of the most common types of dysfunctions is low desire and arousal. This disrupts the sexual response cycle in the first two phases of desire and arousal. The client’s personality factors and psychological issues could also impact erectile functioning in a negative way. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can make it difficult to keep feelings of sexual desire and focus behavior enough to have satisfactory erections. Creation of three measurable goals for treatment Treatment for Erectile dysfunction must address all of the contributing factors such as the physical, psychological and social areas for the client. It also must be brought all together thoroughly and be intimacy-based. The first thing to do is discuss how to set goals by Setting a Goal 1) decide on a goal you want to reach 2) decide on the steps you will need to take to get there and write them down, 3) take the first step, 4) take all the other steps, one at a time, 5) reward yourself when your goal is reach. If James is having no physical problems, he must address his psychological problems and social problems. He needs to use the goal of Identifying stressful situations by 1)tune in to your body’s stress signals, 2) ask yourself am I feeling stressed?, 3)ask what is making me feel this way?, 4) choose stress reducer or relaxation techniques Reducing performance anxiety can be done with Cognitive behavioral techniques along with the relaxation techniques and development of a wider range of sexual activities beyond intercourse. Partners can help to identify and correct anxiety provoking  thought processes, such as all-or-nothing thinking. Moreover, the couple, rather than the man alone, can best redefine sexual activity. the therapist really promotes conditions that focus on relaxation, enjoying sensations that are more pleasurable thus eliminating anxiety and encouraging the man’s partner to relax. The second thing to address is his problem communicating with his wife. Expressing Affection is another goal James needs to work on by 1) decide if you have good feeling about the other person, 2) decide if you think the other person would like to know you feel this way, 3) Decide what to say, 4) choose a good time and place, 5) Tell the person in a friendly way. Due to James’ being upset and frustrated a goal must be set to reduce his frustration. The first Goal is to develop strategies to reduce symptoms and improve coping skills by 1- Learn 3 new ways of coping with routine stressors 3 out of 7 days, 2- Recognize and plan for three anxiety-provoking situations, 3) Report feeling more positive about self and abilities during therapy sessions Treatment can also consist of relapse prevention by having the couple optimize their sexual relationship with the exploration of erotic activities, techniques, and communications to strengthen the couple’s sexual relationship and prevent relapse or the development of other dysfunctions. Therapists should be aware that relapses can occur and as a normative part of treatment. Ethical and culturally-relevant approaches to treating any sexual issues Cultural competence is based upon respect, validation and openness towards someone with different social and cultural perceptions and expectations that are not your own. Culture helps us understand how others interpret their environment. It also shapes how people see their world and how they function in that world. By understanding culture service providers can avoid stereotyping and biases and focus on the positive characteristics of a particular group. Counselors must be able to assess the culturally diverse needs of the client utilize culturally sensitive and appropriate techniques and interventions based on the race, ethnicity and language. Also to identify resources that is available to eliminate barriers. Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes and a person’s sense of  identity based on those attractions and others who share those attractions A PA (2008). References: SEWELL, K. W. (2005). The Experience Cycle And The Sexual Response Cycle: Conceptualization And Application To Sexual Dysfunctions. Journal Of Constructivist Psychology, 18(1), 3-13. doi:10.1080/10720530590522973 McCabe, M. P. (2005). The Role Of Performance Anxiety In The Development And Maintenance Of Sexual Dysfunction In Men And Women. International Journal Of Stress Management, 12(4), 379-388. World Health Organizations 2008 article †Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An Interagency Statement, pages 1–40. McCarthy, B. W., Metz, M. E. (2008). The â€Å"Good-Enough Sex† model: a case illustration. Sexual Relationship Therapy, 23(3), 227-234. doi:10.1080/14681990802165919 http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation. American Psychological Association. (2008).

Effects of Radiation in Biological Systems

Effects of Radiation in Biological Systems As stated in the oxford concise colour medical dictionary radiobiology is the branch of science dealing with the effects of radiation on biological systems. It is further stated that a sequence of events that deals with the absorption of energy from ionizing radiation to the efforts of the organism in order to compensate for the effects of this energy absorption and the damage to the organism that may be produced. There are a number of topics of study in radiobiology. The effect of ionizing radiation together with how it affects living cells will be further explained. Bushong (1998:29-32) states that the biologic effects of ionizing radiation represent the efforts of living things to deal with energy absorbed by them, after an interaction with such radiation. Maintained by the author it is stated that when ionizing radiation interacts with a cell, ionization and excitations are produced in either critical biologic macromolecule called targets e.g. DND, or in the medium which cellular organelles are suspended eg. Water. Based on the site of these interactions, it can be classified as either direct or indirect. The effects of radiation on living cells vary, depending on the type, intensity of exposure and the cell as discussed by Tubiana and Dutreix (1990:22). Radiation is an emission of ionising radiation. Maintained by the above authors, at low levels, radiation damage can be repaired by living cells with no effects, however, higher doses leas to sterility, mutation, which confuses cells resulting in the reproducing rapidly cell death. Cell damage can result in two ways namely direct radiation action, which harms molecules directly and indirect, by ionizing molecules turning them into toxic compounds causing damage. Some of the other aspects that are going to be discussed and explained below are cell structure, cycle and death; irradiation of cells; direct and indirect effects of radiation; interactions of gamma rays with matter; foetal irradiation; cell survival curves; properties of cell survival curves; therapeutic implications; oxygen effect; factors influencing oxygen effect; the five Rs of radiobiology and lastly radiation protection. CELL STRUCTURE, CELL CYCLE CELL DEATH: Discussed by Ford (2001:5) Atoms form molecules which make macromolecules, then build complex organic structures, and then cell which are the main structural component of tissues as well as reflects all features of life. They have similar structures but specialize according to their location. Cells contain inorganic compounds as well as organic compounds. Henry and Suntharalingam (2006:12) explain that there are two categories of cells namely prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Maintained by the above author . Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus and are surrounded with a nuclear membrane. They do not contain any membranous organelles e.g. Mitochondria. However. On the other hand, eukaryotic cells have membranous organelles as well as a real nucleus. They are more highly developed compared to prokaryotic cells. The cell cycle is defined as the interval between the midpoint of mitosis in a cell and the midpoint of the subsequent mitosis in both daughter cells according to Millar and Levine (1998:102). Maintained by the above authors it describes the stages through which a cell passes through as it replicates. The length of time a cell may take to complete the cell cycle is highly variable. The basic division of the cell cycle is mitosis and interphase. Cells may also be in a special state known as the resting phase when not making any effort to divide and cells in this phase are mostly terminally differentiated cells. According to Tubianna and Dutreix (1990:86) the M phase is the period where the cell actively divides into two daughter cells. There are two related events namely mitosis and cytokinesis. The synthesis and mitosis of the cell cycle are separate by two gaps, G1 and G2 when respectively, DNA has not been synthesised or DNA has been synthesised but other metabolic processes are taking place. Elizabeth (2003:1) explains that cells are generally most radio-sensitive in the mitosis and G2 phases and most radio-resistant in the late S phase. Maintained by the above author Cytokinesis completes the M phase, however cells do not always undergo cytokinesis, instead forming multinucleate giant cells. This can either be normal or can be due to errors in mitosis. Explained by Tubiana and Dutreix (1990: 89) Cell death of static cells is defined as the loss of specific function. For stem cells and other cells capable of many divisions, cell death is defined as the loss of reproductive integrity (reproductive death).the above authors further explain that when cells are exposed to ionising radiation, the biological effects of radiation results mainly from damage to the DNA, however there are also other sites within the cell that, when damaged may lead to cell death. The capability of a single cell to grow into a large colony shows that the cell has retained its reproductive integrity. IRRADIATION OF CELLS: Elizabeth (2003:10) explains that when cells are exposed to ionizing radiation the standard physical effects between radiation and the atoms or molecules of the cell. The biological effects of radiation result mainly from damage to the DNA; however, there are also other sites within the cell that, when damaged, may lead to cell deaths occur. Maintained by the above author a surviving cell that maintains its reproductive integrity and proliferates almost indefinitely into a large number of progeny is said to be clonogenic. Sensitive component for radiation-induced cell killing rests in the cell nucleus and not in the cytoplasm. When ionizing radiation is directly absorbed in biological material, the damage to the cell may occur in either a direct or indirect mechanism. DIRECT INDIRECT EFFECT OF RADIATION: According to Bomford and Kunkler (2006: 265) in direct action, the radiation interacts directly with the critical target in the cell. The atoms of the target itself may be ionized or excited, leading to the chain of physical and chemical events that eventually produce the biological damage. It is the dominant process in the interaction of high linear energy transfer particles such as neutrons or alpha particles with biological material. In direct action, caused by x-ray or gamma ray photons, the photon interaction with an atom in the cell produces a charged particle (electron) which subsequently interacts with DNA directly as discussed by Hendry and Suntharalingam (2006:24). Hall and giaccia (2006:44) explain that in indirect action, the radiation interacts with other molecules and atoms (mainly water) within the cell to produce free radicals which can, through diffusion in the cell, damage the critical target within the cell. It can be modified by chemical sensitizers of radiation protectors. Further explained by the above authors, Basic radiochemical reactions that may occur in water molecules disrupt by the passing of an ionizing particle which are highly reactive species that are produced in water, through the radiochemical reactions. These reactive species bring about the indirect radiation damage to biological systems by reacting and damaging the molecules in the cell. The free radicals that break the chemical bonds and produce chemical changes that lead to biologclcal damage are highly reactive molecules because they have an unpaired valence electron. About two-thirds of the biological damage by low linear energy transfer radiations e.g. X-rays , is due to indirect action and one-third due to direct action. INTERACTIONS OF GAMMA RAYS WITH MATTER: Discussed by Johnston and Fauber (2012:63)The steps involved in producing biological damage by the indirect action of x-rays are the primary photon interaction which includes he photoelectric effect, Compton scatter and pair production produces a high energy electron, high energy light charged particle in moving through tissue produces free radicals in water. Maintained by the above author the free radicals may produce chemical changes in DNA from the breakage of chemical bonds and the changes in the chemical bonds results in biological effects. FOETAL IRRADIATION: According to Isaac (2009:26) Foetal radiation is known as teratogen (causes birth defects). Between conception and birth, the foetus passes through different stages of development. When a mother is pregnant, the unborn child can be harmed by radiation which could result in the child having cancer and genetic defects. Due to the fact that the foetus would be highly sensitive to radiation, they are rapidly dividing, undifferentiated and have a long mitotic future. Elizabeth, M (2003:16) a human embryo exposed to a large amount of radiation before 2-3 weeks of gestation could result in a miscarriage. 4-11 weeks could result in severe abnormalities of organs and 11-15 weeks in mental retardation. However, after the 20th week, the human foetus is more radiosensitive and functional defects may occur. Effects of radiation on the foetus depends on two factors namely the dose to the foetus and secondly is the stage of development at the time of exposure. An important factor to note is that an abortion should be considered only when the foetal dose has exceeded 10 cGY. The principle effects of radiation on a foetus are foetal or neonatal death, malformations, growth retardation, congenital defects and cancer induction as maintained by the above author. CELL SURVIVAL CURVES: Discussed by Hall and Giacca (2006: 67) Cell survival curves which is the surviving fraction against the absorbed dose describes the relationship between the surviving fractions of cells that is the fraction of irradiated cells that maintain their integrity. Maintained by the above author, the cell survival against dose is graphically represented by plotting the surviving fraction on a logarithmic scale on the ordinate against dose on a linear scale. Typical survival curves for cells irradiate by densely ionizing radiation (low linear energy transfer). Tubiana and Dutreix (1990: 26) the type of radiation influence the shape of the survival curve. For densely ionizing radiation (high linear energy transfer) the cell survival curve is almost an exponential function of dose which is shown by an almost straight line on a log-linear plot. However, for sparsely ionizing radiation (low linear energy transfer) the survival curves show an initial slope followed by a shoulder region and then becoming nearly straight at high doses as retained by the above authors. The currently used model for describing the cell survival curve is the linear-quadratic model with constants Alpha and Beta. The ratio alpha/beta gives the dose at which the linear and quadratic components of cell killing are equal. PROPERTIES OF CELL SURVIVAL CURVES: Adhikar (2003:2) explains that for late responding tissues the survival curves are more curved than those for early responding tissues. For early effects the ratio is large and dominates at low doses however for late effects it is small and has an influence at doses lower than for early responding tissues. The above mentioned author goes on to explain that the effects of radiation on tissue as a function of dose are measured with assays and the measured results are presented in the form of cell survival curves and dose response curves. THERAPUTIC IMPLICATIONS: Bomford and Kunkler (2003:99) state that DNA being the target of ionizing radiation leads to several important therapeutic implications. The radiation damage that occurs in clusters that match the size of a DNA strand may be more effective in causing damage. The above authors further explain that drugs target DNA have synergistic effects with radiation whilst people with genetic defects due to radiation damage response may exhibit increased levels of DNA mutation or cell death. Points in cell cycle where the DNA is more susceptible to damage are also more sensitive to radiation and the cycling of cells has an impact on the radio sensitivity of the cell type. OXYGEN EFFECT: Franckowiak (2008:2) explains that when ionizing radiations transverse through matter, they gradually loose energy through various interaction processes along their path. For certain absorbers the rate of energy loss depends on the type of radiation as well as the density of the material. Maintained by the above author the rate at which energy is deposited as a charged particle travels through matter by a particular type of radiation is known as linear energy transfer which is a function of the mass and charge of the radiation. Carlton and Adler (2006:344) explain that Electromagnetic radiation, having no mass or charge produces fast electrons with negligible mass and a negative charge. Due to this, the probability of an electron interacting with an atom is relatively small resulting in the ionizations produced being distant and far from each other hence terming electromagnetic radiation as linear energy transfer radiation. In contrast to electromagnetic radiation, highly ionizing radiations e.g. Alpha-particles that have a predictable mass, have a greater chance of interacting with matter, producing short distance ionizations. Different linear energy transfer radiations produce different degrees of the same biologic response. However, equal doses of linear energy transfer do not produce the same biologic response. This was retained by the above authors. Travis (1989:207) explains that the ability of radiation with different linear energy transfers produce a specific biologic response called the relative biologic effect. It is a comparison of a dose of test radiation that produces the same biological response. Maintained by the above author ,when comparing the two types of radiation that differ in nature or energy, the relative biological effectiveness when compared, represents the absorbed dose which results in a given biological effect. Therefore the concept must refer to a well-defined biological effect of a particular level. FACTORS INFLUENCING OXYGEN EFFECT: Ford (2001:10) discusses that some of the factors that influence the oxygen effect are chemical, biological and technical. In chemical, the oxygen concentration may be increased by internal or external methods. In biological, if the patient suffers from chronic airways disease or other problems with oxygen transport, then the oxygen concentration will be lower and prevalence of hypoxic cells will be increased. However, in technical, these have minimal impact on the oxygen effect, maintained by the above author. THE FIVE RS OF RADIOBIOLOGY: Bomford and Kunkler (2003:236) explain that there are five Rs in the radiotherapy process namely; repair, redistribution, reoxygenation, repopulation and lastly radio sensitivity and these will be further explained below. REPAIR: This is one of the primary reasons to fractionate radiotherapy and there are three types of damage that ionizing radiation can cause to cells. These are lethal, sub lethal and potentially lethal damages. Maintained by the above authors, by splitting radiation dose into smaller parts cells are allowed to repair sub lethal damage depending on the ability to recognize damage, repair pathways and cell cycle arrest. However, normal cells with intact repair pathways are able to repair the sub lethal damage by the time the next fraction is delivered. However, if the dose rate is sufficiently low, repair may be able to take place during radiotherapy treatment which reduces the cell death and is one reason low dose treatment show reduces effectiveness to high dose rate treatment as stated by Isaac (2009:20). REDISTRIBUTION: Sunthalingam and Hendry (2006:12) state that redistribution occurs during low dose rate which may increase cell killing, although it is minimal compare to the increased repair. When radiotherapy is given to a population of cells, they may be in different parts of the cell cycle. A small dose of radiation delivered over a short time period will kill a lot of sensitive cells and less of the resistant cells. REOXYGENATION: Oxygenation status may change during treatment due to tumours being acutely or chronically hypoxic. Acute hypoxia is due to the closure of capillaries or arterioles supplying parts of the tumour. While closed, tumour cells become hypoxic and resistant to the indirect action of radiation. These vessels are usually closed for a short time but may occur during a fractionated dose of radiation. Splitting dose into fractions raises possibility of closed vessels being opened the next time, hence allowing the tumour cells to be killed as explained by Sunthalingam and Hendry (2006:13). Maintained by the above authors, chronic hypoxia is due to the poor vasculature of tumours and oxygen has to travel far to reach cells that are far. These cells are resistant to radiation, fractionated radiation therapy kills cells that lie close to capillary more effectively thus being able to move closer to their nutrition source becoming relatively toxic and these cells can be killed. REPOPULATION: Bomford and Kunler (2003:237) explain that repopulation is the increase in cell division that is seen in normal and malignant cells at some point after radiation is delivered. Repopulation of normal tissues occurs at different speeds depending on the tissue. Maintained by the above authors, early responding tissues begin repopulation and by increasing treatment over a certain time period reduces early toxicity in that tissue. However late responding tissue only begin repopulation after the radiation cause has being completed and therefore repopulation has minimal effects. Adhikar (2003:4) explains that repopulation of malignant tissues are when some tumours exhibit accelerated repopulation which is a dangerous phenomenon that must be counted if treatment time extends. Methods to do this include accelerated treatment with hyper fractionation to minimise late effects. RADIOSENSITIVITY: Radio sensitivity cells include haematological cell. Radio resistant cells include myocytes, neurons and tumour cells such as melanoma and sarcoma as explained by Adhikar (2003:4). RADIATION PROTECTION: As discussed by Carlton and Adler (2006: 153-155) there are three principles of personnel exposure reduction namely time distance and shielding. A decrease in time working with or in the vicinity of radiation will increase exposure and decrease the dose. Maintained by the above author increasing the distance between the source of radiation and the individual will decrease exposure. Bushong (1998:54) also mentions that shielding decreases the exposure that is used when time and distance cannot be implemented. Examples of shielding are gonad shields, lead aprons, lead line doors etc. CONCLUSION: As we all know now know, radiobiology deals with the effects of radiation in biological systems. Radiation is energy in the form of waves and particles that are emitted from a source that comes in many forms however it may not always be a dangerous thing. The forms of radiation that are especially dangerous to living things are those with energy sufficient to penetrate tissues and then ionize the atoms they pass along the way which damage tissues by disrupting normal cellular chemistry and are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Cell damage can result in two ways namely direct radiation action, which harms molecules directly and indirect, by ionizing molecules turning them into toxic compounds causing damage. Discussed above and throughout the assignment we see how a cell together with their structure until death occurs due to irradiation of cells by either direct or indirect effects of radiation. We also looked at interactions of gamma rays with matter as well as effects of foetal irradiation. Cell survival curves together with their properties as well as theraputic implications and oxygen effect were explained. The five Rs in radiobiology play an important aspect together with ways of protecting yourself and others from the harmful effects of radiation.

Gambling On The Internet Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Gambling On The Internet Gaming sites are growing almost daily on the internet as more and more people are seeing the profitability of online gambling.   Sites range from bingo to proffessionals giving strategies to poker and blackjack and every other casino game you can think of. With the ever present lure of the big payout and the ease of wich anyone in the world can access these online gambling sites the popularity of these sites has gone through the roof.   But with the onset of government regulation is the future of online gaming a sure thing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Online gaming has been somewhat of a hot topic in the news lately.   The government is trying to decide how to go about regulating it.   Senator Jon Kyl (Rep. Arizona), who championed the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act,   got it overwhelmingly passed in the senate, in spite of a report by the Justice Department criticizing the bill for being inconsistent and overly broad..   One of the first of these companies to be affected by this new law was Bohemia, a New York based company.   The New York attorney general seized all of Bohemia' assets and blocked a $750,000 wire transfer to an offshore account in Antigua.   With government crackdowns like these and the outlawing of gaming sites in the United States, online gambling companies are running for the borders..   Ã‚  Ã‚   Feeling the heat in the United States online gaming companies had to relocate, with some going to Canada but many more finding a haven in the Caribbean.   Long a hoitbed for psychic hotlines, telephone sex lines, and sports betting operations the Carribean islands and internet gaming were a perfect match.   With Carribean governments posing no laws against online betting and the relatively cheap $i00,000 or so fe... ...and pages of online gambling sites to get to any sites that adress problem gambling.   One site I did find was Gamblers Annonymous.   The gamblers anonymous is a twelve step program similar to that of Alcoholics anonymous, the web site displays the twelve steps that need to be taken to help you curb your gambling addiction. With the ease of access to gambling online there is a very good chance that a rise in problem gambling may occur in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the future of online gambling is secure.   The government really wants to ban it but at this point I do not see the possibility of this happening.   Internet gaming crosses too many national borders for the united states government to put an end to it.   People are always going to find a way to do the things they want to do, the popularity of internet gaming makes it a sure thing in the years to come.

Tradgedy:The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Tragedy, many people have defined it so many different ways. So, what is a tragedy? Arthur Miller has defined a tragedy by specifying certain characteristics that must be included in the story; there must be living and breathing characters, it must bring knowledge or enlightenment, there must be an internal conflict, and there must be a struggle for happiness. This definition does a really good job of defining what a tragedy is, but I think that there is more to it. I believe for a story to become a tragedy it does not have to have the above aspects, but every reader has to decide whether it is a tragedy to them. Take The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne for example. Arthur Miller states that the story has to have living characters. In The Scarlet Letter, the main characters are Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl, and Roger Chillingworth. Nathaniel Hawthorne successfully brings these characters to life by showing us human nature and by making them breathe and cry and have emotions that only real people can feel. Hester has real emotions as Hawthorne shows us when he tells what is going through her head when she is on the scaffold in the first scaffold scene; â€Å"†¦she saw her own face, glowing with girlish beauty†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He also shows us Dimmesdale and the guilt he endures â€Å"†¦the judgement of God is on me†¦it is too mighty for me to struggle with!† He shows us how Pearl’s darkness throughout the book, â€Å"Hester could not help question†¦if Pearl was a human child†¦. deeply black eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hawthorne brilliantly portrays these characters as living. Finding enlightenment or knowledge from this book is a bit more difficult. In a specific section of this book, Hawthorne tells the reader right out what the knowledge to gain from this book is, he says that to lie and to be dishonest to oneself and to the public and to carry guilt, as Dimmesdale and Hester did, is the worst possible thing that a human can do. Dimmesdale carried his guilt for so long that it deteriorated his physical and emotional state and drove him nearly mad. Hester carried Dimmesdale’s secret along with Chillingworth’s and it hurt her emotionally also. The third aspect of a tragedy is that there must be a conflict internally. There is definitely a conflict in Dimmesdale about his guilt. When Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are discussing why men keep their sins quiet, Dimmesdale becomes weak from the emotional pain that it brings him.

Homers Iliad :: essays research papers

General Plot Summary of Homer\'s Iliad The Iliad is a lengthy poem of some 15,693 lines, divided into 24 books (cantos) and has as its theme the anger (menis) of the Greek hero Achilles, the greatest of the heroes to sail to Troy. In the tenth year of the war, Achilles quarrels with the leader of the expedition, Agamemnon, over a slight to Achilles\' honor. In his anger, Achilles withdraws from the fighting and wins the aid of Zeus, the king of the gods, to see to it that the war turns against the Greeks. Eventually (Book 9) things begin to go so badly that Agamemnon sends a delegation to Achilles to offer him compensation and ask him to rejoin the fighting. In an effort to make good the slight to Achilles\' honor, Agamemnon promises an immense amount of treasure, but Achilles still refuses to help the Greeks. In the anger of the moment, he declares that he will only fight once the Trojans attack his own ships: at that point, he feels, he will be able to rejoin the battle as a point of personal honor rather than as Agamem non\'s hired lackey. In the course of Book 12 (the center of the poem) the Trojans bring the war right up to the fortifications surrounding the Greek ships. Under the leadership of the heroic Hector, they manage to breach the Greek defenses and are soon in a position to destroy the Greek fleet. At this point, Achilles sees the weakness of his plan: should the Trojans destroy the fleet, the Greek forces would be placed in a vulnerable position and could potentially be wiped out. Unable to rejoin the battle himself without losing face, he is persuaded to allow his loyal friend Patroclus to join the battle, disguised in Achilles\' armor, in order to win the Greeks some breathing room. Unfortunately, Patroclus gets caught up in the fighting and, contrary to Achilles\' instructions, attempts to take the city of Troy himself, only to be killed by Hector with the aid of the pro-Trojan god Apollo (Book 16). At this point, Achilles falls into an inhuman rage: his former anger at Agamemnon an d the Greeks is forgotten in his grief at the death of his friend and his desire to take revenge on Hector. In his anger, Achilles slaughters Trojans by the dozens and in a heartless manner that

African Americans and Politics Essay

For decades African Americans have faced struggles throughout history. Most notably, African Americans were involved in slavery, suffrage, and the civil rights movement. These struggles were very visible and everyone was aware of what was going on. However, now African Americans are involved in a struggle that it not visible and recognizable. This is a struggle that is used to capitalize on wealth and prevent African American families and individuals from living normal lives. They are involved in environmental racism. Environmental racism â€Å"refers to intentional or unintentional racial discrimination in the enforcement of environmental rules and regulations, the intentional or unintentional targeting of minority communities for the siting of polluting industries, or the exclusion of minority groups from public and private boards, commissions, and regulatory bodies. †[1] This form of racism has been plaguing African American communities for years and most people have not taken notice. There are many form of environmental racism; however, this paper will specifically address redlining, blockbusting, racial profiling, and housing segregation and how each has impacted the African American community. Redlining is the act of refusing or increasing the cost of services such as loans, insurance, banking, and access to healthcare to citizens based upon race. The practice involves taking a map and drawing a red line through neighborhoods where banks would not invest money. Redlining was used to segregate African Americans in the housing, workforce, and school market. Parents had to find work in other areas of the city because there were not any resources available in the community. Because of redlining, schools became over crowded with 50 students crammed into one classroom. With the schools overcrowded, teachers were not able to provide special attention to the needy students and other students became uncontrollable. Cathy Cohen would argue that African Americans were being marginalized in the school system. To be considered marginalized means, to have continuously been denied access to dominant resources, barred from full participation in dominant institutions, and defined as â€Å"others, â€Å" living outside the norm and values agreed upon by society (Cohen 1999). African American students were all forced to go to one school in the community to keep them out of the White schools. Along with marginalization, Blacks were, and still are, a part of a power struggle. Blacks were seen, and will always be seen, as an inferior race. Also, Blacks have been disempowered knowingly and unknowingly. African-Americans have been taken advantage of and used to make other races feel superior. Blockbusting was a practice used by real estate agents and developers in the United States to encourage white property owners to sell their homes by giving the impression that minority groups (such as African Americans) were moving into their previously racially segregated neighborhood. [2] When African Americans began to move into the inner city, fear arose that they were an economic threat. Blockbusting was also the cause of many White Americans moving into the suburbs. The practice of blockbusting involved an African American purchasing a home for very cheap in a predominately White neighborhood. The real estate broker would contact the White residents and offer to buy their houses for quick cash and resell the house to an African American family for much higher. Real estate agents claimed that African Americans moving into a predominately White neighborhood would cause property values to go down and urged White homeowners to sell as soon as possible. Real estate agents indicated that the property values would go down because African Americans would not keep up their property, avoid lawn care, and if would affect the entire neighborhood. This practice has caused major shifts in urban neighborhoods, especially Chicago, in recent decades. The Blockbusting methods were profitable and became common across the nation. For example, by 1962, when blockbusting had been in practice for fifteen years, Chicago had over 100 operators and the city had been changing an average of two to three blocks a week for several years. Blockbusting is the reason why cities such as Chicago are now predominately African American and the surrounding suburbs are predominately White. Blockbusting caused African Americans to be marginalized as well. They were denied fair participation in the housing market. Real estate agents inflated housing prices for African Americans to gain commission. White homeowners already had prejudices about African Americans and the real estate agents only made the situation worse. The stereotypes that Black families do not take care of their property was the main reason White homeowners sold their homes. Racial profiling is â€Å"the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act or to behave in a â€Å"predictable† manner. †[3] The practice of racial profiling is a huge problem in the United States. African Americans are usually the targeted victims in the act of racial profiling. It is believed that an African American driver will be more likely stopped than a White driver. Some police officers share the belief that Black drivers will most likely possess an illegal substance of committing an illegal act. However, policemen argue that they do not base their arrests on race but are greatening their probability of a successful search. Some policemen also argue that the probability of catching a Black offender is greater than catching a White offender. Whether the statement is true or not, it places a bias on African Americans and White Americans. The belief that African Americans men are more likely to commit crimes is unfair and not true. One cannot base the behavior of all African American men on the ones that have done wrong and been imprisoned. Another belief of racial profiling is it is the cause of the racial disparities in the American prison system. There are many more African American men in the jail system than there are White men. The previous statement is mostly likely to be true. Because some policemen hold biases and have prejudices against African Americans, it will cause more African Americans to be placed in the jail system. Another instance of racial profiling involved African Americans owning nice material possessions such as a car or a house and African Americans being in a predominately White neighborhood. For example, in an episode of Family Matters, Eddie was in his car travelling through a predominately White neighborhood and was pulled over by the police for â€Å"failure to signal. † However, the routine traffic stop turned into nothing more than a beating for young Eddie. The significance of the episode shows that racial profiling does exist in the United States and it takes place every day. The practice has impacted African Americans because hundreds of innocent people have been harassed and humiliated by police officers simply because of their race. The most recent national example of environmental racism occurred when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. When New Orleans was flooded with tons of water, there were no relief efforts for days and almost a week. Many believed this was due to the fact that majority of the New Orleans population was African American. The population was basically ignored for days until the help decided to come. Citizens of New Orleans were faced with intentional racism and were denied help for several days. This has impacted African Americans because many people died because of the heat, starvation, and disease from the water. African-Americans have been marginalized for centuries. To be considered marginalized means, to have continuously been denied access to dominant resources, barred from full participation in dominant institutions, and defined as â€Å"others, â€Å" living outside the norm and values agreed upon by society (Cohen 1999). Most recently, African-Americans were marginalized in regards to the outbreak of HIV/AIDS. While HIV/AIDS was once considered to be the disease of white gay men, Blacks are now the center of the epidemic. With the turn of the new millennium, the outbreak of AIDS in the Black community has soared. Black men who consider themselves to be â€Å"down low† are the center of the rising epidemic. The men have intercourse with other men while continuing to have intercourse with their female partners thus spreading the AIDS virus. Even though the soaring rate is shocking, there has been limited response from the African-American community. One can argue that Blacks have been marginalized from the resources to treat the epidemic. However, the Black community seems to be ignoring the spreading AIDS virus and focusing more on electing a Black president and high blood pressure. While both electing a Black president and lowering high blood pressure are important issues, similar emphasis should be put on the rising AIDS epidemic. In a sense, African-Americans have marginalized themselves from dealing with AIDS. Continuing to turn a cold shoulder to the issue will not fix the problem. Although Blacks are being marginalized when it comes to AIDS, they are also marginalized when it comes to property and social relationships. For example, when it comes to receiving bank loans, African-Americans is marginalized heavily. Some bank loan officers practice redlining which causes Black residents, whether qualified or not, to be denied loans for property. By using the redlining technique, bank loan officers are marginalizing Blacks from being able to own their own property. Relating back to the AIDS epidemic, Black men were marginalized for having the virus. For instance, if a Black man was open about his homosexuality would be marginalized heavily. Homophobia could be a valid reason for the marginalization of Black men. With open homosexuality, an African-American could be left out from participating in activities and denied being recognized as a normal individual. Homophobia could damage an individual’s social life and leave him feeling disempowered. [4] Along with marginalization, Blacks were, and still are, a part of a power struggle. Blacks were seen, and will always be seen, as lower than Whites. Also, Blacks have been disempowered knowingly and unknowingly, which is the center of environmental racism. African-Americans have been taken advantage of and used to gain wealth and keep at the bottom of the ladder. In short, there are many types of power struggles. One does not have to see power to know that it is taking place. [5] For instance, being called an inferior race is a power struggle within itself. African-Americans that believe that they are actually inferior will begin to act that way. They will begin to doubt themselves and their abilities in life. Once they have it in their mindset that they are inferior, it will cause them to act that way. Housing Segregation is â€Å"the practice of denying African American or other minority groups equal access to housing through the process of misinformation, denial of realty and financing services, and racial steering. †[6] The act of housing discrimination involves real estate agents and landlords not providing African American families with an accurate account of available housing. Housing segregation happens when landlords and real estate agents lure White Americans to available housing only in white communities, and African Americans to Black or diverse and mixed communities. The realtor and landlord usually work together in the process and will agree not to tell the African Americans about the available units in the European American communities. This process goes back to the assumption that African Americans residents will bring down the property value of homes in the neighborhood because they will not take care of their own property. Housing segregation is intentional racism that excludes African Americans from participating fairly in the housing market. Black families should be able to live wherever they please without regardless of the demographics of the neighborhood. With all that African Americans have been through, environmental racism should not be ignored or taken lightly. People should take heed to the practice and fight for what is right. All of the above forms of environmental racism have plagued the African American community. It has caused a major shift in the urban cities such as Chicago. Real estate agents have inflated the costs of housing for Black families moving into predominantly White areas. African American families can fight the issues by becoming more aware of their surroundings and becoming familiar with the practices. They can hire good lawyers to defend them and fight for justice. With regards to the AIDS epidemic, African Americans have been marginalized when it comes to resources and thus leads to environmental racism. African American of the new generation, as a whole, should stand together and fight the justice that was promised to them in the United States Constitution. ———————– [1] Dictionary. com [2] Dictionary. com [3] Dictionary. com [4] Cathy J. Cohen, The Boundaries of Blackness (The University of Chicago Press) 47-48. [5] John Gaventa, Power and Powerlessness (The University of Illinois Press) 1-32. [6] Dictionary. com.

A Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Pilates and Acupuncture

Chronic low back pain is the diagnosis for individuals who have been suffering from acute back pain but have not showed any signs of improving.In a manner of speaking, chronic low back pain occurs when an individual’s acute back pain has reached the duration of 91 days without improvement (Bogduk & McGuirk, 2002). Chronic low back pain has various treatments, and this research aims to determine which is appropriate.According to Colleen Craig (2001), pilates exercises abdominal muscles, and one of these abdominal muscles, if properly attended to, can prevent chronic low back pain. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is also used for the treatment of low back pain (Liao, Lee, & Ng, 1994).Problem Statement and HypothesisThis study intends to determine whether or not pilates and acupuncture produce better results than that of traditional lumbar stabilization exercises for the treatment of chronic low back pain. The hypothesis of this research is that alternative methods, such as pilat es and acupuncture, are superior over the traditional lumbar stabilization exercises in treating chronic low back pain.AssumptionFor this research, it is assumed that pilates and acupuncture produce better results than that of the traditional lumbar stabilization exercises when it comes to treating patients with chronic low back pain.Purpose and SignificanceThis study aims to compare other modes of therapy to the traditional lumbar stabilization exercises and to determine whether other modes of therapy, specifically pilates and acupuncture, can help improve the conditions of patients who have chronic low back pain.The significance of the study is that it can provide information about which physical therapy is appropriate for individuals who have chronic low back pain. New information about various treatments can help enhance physical therapy and produce better results.Nature of Study and Theoretical FrameworkAn integration of quantitative and qualitative methods will be conducted th roughout the course of the study. The use of quantitative methods is vital for these will determine the empirical data that will contribute to the accuracy of the study. On the other hand, through the use of qualitative methods, the study will be able to provide insight on what the patients think of the aforementioned treatments.Research QuestionsThis study aims to address the following:Which treatment is more effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain? Why is the treatment more effective than the other treatments? What are the pros and cons of alternative treatments for chronic low back pain?   Definition of TermsChronic back pain – the condition wherein the individual has been suffering from acute back pain and has not shown any signs of improving after the duration of 91 days (Bogduk & McGuirk, 2002).Pilates – a â€Å"system of exercises† (Breibart, 2005, p. 3) that helps to stretch and strengthen the body as well as improve its posture and tone (B reibart, 2005).Acupuncture – the insertion of â€Å"hair-fine needles† (Tierney, 1999, p. 1) into certain areas of the body in order to stimulate the healing capacity of the individual’s body (Tierney, 1999).

People’s Republic of China Essay

Mainland China is rooted in more than 4,000 years of rich Chinese cultures and history. It’s known for their lives, travel, history, business and food, their people and customs. Traditional Kung Fu is as much of the culture of china according to statistics. The Chinese people have shared a common culture longer than any other groups on earth. China is one of the cradles of the human race. For thousands of years the culture of china has attract and moved many people from all over the world, being so unique and one-of-a-kind as well as elegant and inspiring. The Chinese culture, a culture that has evolved for thousands and thousands of years contains rare beauty and enchanted with history variously as an ancient civilization extending over a large area in East Asia. [pic] In order to effectively examine China we need to first understand what their culture is about. Culture is defined as â€Å"society’s shared and socially transmitted its ideas, values, and perceptions, which are used to make sense of experience and which generate behavior that is reflected in that behavior†. There are five major characteristics of culture, they are that; Culture is shared, â€Å"one shared element found in all cultures is an understanding in regard to gender roles, which are the roles a particular culture assigns to men and women†. The second characteristic is â€Å"Culture is learned, not biologically inherited. The process whereby culture is passed from one generation to the next. The third is â€Å"symbols. Much of human behavior is mediated by symbols—signs, sounds, emblems, and other things that represent meaningful concepts. † The forth is that â€Å"Culture is integrated. The foundation of culture includes three structural elements that work together to keep the culture strong: An infrastructure provides the basic necessities of life, a social structure determines how people interact with one another, and a superstructure, or worldview, provides a belief system that helps people identify themselves, their society, and the world around them. † Lastly, â€Å"Culture is dynamic. Chinese arts and crafts, including painting, calligraphy, operas and silk. During these four or five thousand years of development, china mainly live on the five common cereals and vegetables and added by a small supply of meat which is radiated to the advance of culinary skills and early civilization of the country. When one element within the system shifts, the entire system shifts to accommodate it. † East Asian cultures have many similarities in religious beliefs, family social networks, diet and education. Modern China differs greatly in government. They have maintained a communist state and resisted Westernization. This is not the case with the rest of the Far East. Western culture appears to be a driving force behind most of modern East Asian culture. [pic] China has a very diverse geographical and urban landscape. Within China’s borders lies the tallest peak in the world, Mount Everest, it is just one of many mountains that make up the Himalayan mountain range in the northern region of China. China also boasts the third longest river in the world with South China’s Yangtze River which is approximately 3,400 miles long. China has over 8,700 miles of coastline, and has many plains and valleys throughout its nearly 12,400 square miles of frontier land. The vast landscape has dwellings that vary anywhere from small villages to large cities and metropolitan areas. China also has one of the largest man-made structures in the world, the Great wall; it is so large that it is visible from outer space. â€Å"In terms of climate, China may be divided between the humid eastern region and the dry west. The humid east can be further subdivided between the warm and humid south and southeast and the temperate-to-cool, moderately humid north and northeast. Much of the humid eastern region of China exhibits a monsoonal pattern of temperature and precipitation. In a monsoon climate, the warm summer months are typically the months of maximum precipitation. † China’s population exceeds 1 billion, â€Å"more than 500 million people live in and around cities in China, according to the 1990 census. There are more urban dwellers in China than are found in either the United States or Russia. Some of the cities are quite large. Shanghai, for example, has more than 7 million people; Beijing has more than 6 million, and Tianjin more than 5 million. Many cities have more than 1 million people each. † (Compton’s Living Encyclopedia) China’s cities are expanding rapidly. The government is attempting to regulate urban growth in order to avoid such problems as congestion, overcrowding, slum development, and unemployment. China’s government is a People’s Republic; the main organs of the government are under Communist party control. The head of state in China is the â€Å"Premier†. The population of China is and has been a strain on the countries resources; because of this the government has interjected itself into the people’s family planning. â€Å"China’s family planning policy combines government guidance with the wishes of the masses. The basic requirements of family planning are late marriages and late child-bearing, so as to have fewer, but healthier, babies, especially one child per couple. But a flexible family planning policy is adopted for rural people and ethnic minorities; in rural areas, couples may have second baby in exceptional cases, but must wait several years after the birth of the first child. † Chinese people have the tradition of respecting the old and loving the young. Though many young couples do not live with their parents, they maintain close contact with them. Grown up children have the duty to support and help their parents. The Chinese people attach great importance to relations between family members and relatives, and cherish their parents, children, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts and other relatives. Communication among the people of China can be challenging due to the numerous written and spoken languages of the country. â€Å"The Han people have their own spoken and written language. Chinese belongs to the Han-Tibetan language family. It is the most commonly used language in China, and one of the most commonly used languages in the world. All of China’s 55 minority people have their own languages, except the Hui and Manchu, who use Chinese; 23 of these have a written form. † Economically China has changed considerably since it became a communist state in 1949, since the founding of New China, especially in the 20 years after the start of reform and opening to the outside world in 1978. China has made great achievements in economic construction and social development. China instituted multiple financial plans that has allowed for outward economic growth and modernization. â€Å" There are three major religious in china; Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, although Confucianism is a school of philosophy than a religion, some turn to Taoism when they find themselves frustrated and many turn to Buddhism even if they never read the sutures beliefs. Chinese people do not have a strong religious inclination but despite this the three main faiths. China is proud of the many people, The Hui, Uygur, Kazak, Kirgiz, Tatar, Ozbek, Tajik, Dongxiang, Salar, and Bonan people adhere to Islam; the Tibetan Buddhism, and the Dai, Blang and Deang to Theravada Buddhism. † Buddhism was first introduced to China from India in the first century A. D. , becoming increasingly popular after the fourth century. Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism as it is sometimes called, is found primarily in Tibet and Inner Mongolia. War and the military have been a central role in the shaping of modern Chinese history; armed struggle has played an important part. â€Å"The majority of China’s imperial dynasties rose and fell due to success or defeat upon the battlefield. The 20th century saw the conflict between Nationalist and Communist forces that resulted in today’s divided China: the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan. It also witnessed China’s intervention in the Korean War and border clashes with its neighbors India, the Soviet Union, and Vietnam. † (Worthing) Many factors have led to the perceived military threat known as China. These factors have figured decisively in the rise and fall of imperial dynasties, the suppression of internal revolts, the emergence of revolutionary movements, and the conduct of China’s foreign relations, the development of political parties, the structure of governments, the rise of nationalism and the drive for modernization, all of which have driven the worlds perception of China emerging as a 21st-century military and economic power. China’s past has aided in shaping much of the countries core values, but economically a western view on commerce and technology has been adapted. China’s determination to do all outward dealing on their own terms has allowed them to be a major player in the world marketplace. China is self sufficient and goal oriented. They are a country diverse in belief systems yet this does not appear to affect the people’s sense of nationalism. China is a superpower that no country should overlook. The Chinese culture is solely based on the necessities of ancient Chinese culture. Which are: food, clothing, housing, transportation and, education. These elements are the foundations that make up their society, tradition and beliefs. Their beliefs, not only help shape their economic climate, it also influenced their military. China has the longest period of continuous development of military culture of any civilization in world history. China also had one of the most powerful and advanced military for almost 2000 years until the eighteenth century. One of the greatest influences of military thought was the book â€Å"The Art of War† by Sun Tzu’s. Of course a lot has changed since the 18th century. The China’s modern military share some of the same values of U. S. military. The 3 main beliefs, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism still play a major role in their decision making process. However, similar to the U. S. politics plays a major role overall. If we were to come in contact with any Chinese forces we must remember what is sacred to them. While most of us place value on religion from a â€Å"supernatural force†. The Chinese listen and respect their elders for wisdom and guidance. Here is a chart that shows you the difference between Chinese cultures vs. American culture: | |Chinese |Americans | |Conception Of the Self |Collectivist: Higher value placed on group|Individualist: Higher value placed on | | |cooperation and individual modesty. |self-reliance. Self-promotion is more | | | |accepted. High value placed on â€Å"freedom† | | | |from externally imposed constraints. | |Social Relationships |Formal, hierarchical. People most |Informal, egalitarian. People most | | |comfortable in the presence of a hierarchy|comfortable with their social equals; | | |in which they know their position and the |importance of social rankings minimized. | | |customs/rules for behavior in the | | | |situation. | | |Friendship |Small numbers of close, lifelong friends |Large collection of â€Å"friends† and | | |who feel deeply obligated to give each |acquaintances which changes over time and | | |other whatever help might seem required. |involves only limited mutual obligations. | |Obligation |Relationships with other people involve |People avoid interdependent relationships | | |reciprocal obligations. |and situations that might entail long-term | | | |obligations. | |Task vs. Relationship |Relationship-oriented: Maintaining a |Task-oriented. Relationships are less | |Orientation |harmonious relationship has priority over |important than getting the work done. | | |accomplishing tasks. | | |Harmony vs. |Avoid direct confrontation, open |Willing to confront directly, criticize, | |†Truth† |criticism, and controversial topics. |discuss controversial topics, and press | | |Concern maintaining harmony and with |personal opinions about what they consider | | |†face. † |†the truth. Little concern with â€Å"face. † | |Role of laws, rules, and |More faith in personal relationships than |Written rules presumably apply to everyone | |regulations |in written rules and procedures for |and are assumed to produce fair, reasonable| | |structuring interactions. |procedures and decisions. | |Time Consciousness |Relatively more attention to the past and |Less interested in the past; eye on | | |to the longer-term future. |near-term future. | |Ascribed vs. Achieved |Traditionally, a person’s status in the |People’s status is based mainly on their | |Status |society was based importantly on inherited|own achievements, including education | | |characteristics such as age, gender, and |obtained and level of success realized in | | |family. This is changing. |their line of work. | In order for America to be successful we must consider our differences and find a common ground. Knowing that there is a cultural gap can and will affect unit operations but we can and will be successful if we understand that we do not live in this world alone.

Key Approaches: the Social Learning Theory Debate Essay

â€Å"Outline and evaluate social learning theory. In your answer, make comparisons with at least one other approach in psychology.† – 12 marks Social learning theory states that behaviour is acquired through the observational learning from role models where a person identifies with that person and imitates their behaviour. This means that the behaviour of a model can influence the behaviour of all those that model the person and is particularly common with childhood celebrity role models. When a person identifies with the role model, the cognitive factors to the learning occur in 4 key stages; attention when the individual notices the action, retention as the person memorises the behaviour, judgement whereby the person is receptive to if they are able to imitate the behaviour themselves and motivation which is when the individual is reinforced whether directly or vicariously to repeat this behaviour based upon their own imitation of it and their confidence of success. So for example with motivation, if a child’s role model is a footballer who swears at another player and is sent off, vicarious reinforcement will occur and will dissuade the child from repeating this behaviour due to the negative consequences of it. When compared to the behaviourist approach which assumes behaviour lays between the stimulus and response and does not account for the mediating cognitive factors, social learning theory explains the cognitive factors involved in the process of learning behaviour and bridges the gap between traditional behaviourism and the cognitive approach. A study into the social learning theory was conducted by Bandura with his bobo doll experiment whereby he was investigating whether children would imitate behaviour based upon what they had witnessed being aggressive behaviour or non-aggressive behaviour towards the doll, as well as a control group whereby the child was left with the doll without an adult present. The results shown that in the presence of aggressive conditions, there was a clear increase in the incidence of aggression towards the doll in the children. In addition, higher physical aggression was noted in boys than girls but not verbal aggression. It was also shown that with a male model that aggression increased for both sexes and children in the non-aggressive category demonstrated lower levels of aggression than children in the control group. The study was conducted in a controlled environment so can be credited for reducing the possibility of extraneous variables, but as a result also could be criticised for the lack of ecological validity. Another area of psychology where social learning theory can be observed is through gender formation when a child imitates the behaviour of their models, often shown through how they act and dress. For example, girls modelling their mother are often shown as playing with their mothers’ makeup sets and trying on various shoes, whereas boys can typically be seen playing football often with their father and friends of the same sex. Many behaviourist theories are often very reductionist and do not consider the mediating cognitive factors, specifically in the acquisition of new behaviour and does not account for behaviour which has not been directly taught. For example, if a child see’s a juggler and attempts to copy the behaviour, behaviourism cannot explain why the child attempted to imitate the behaviour to begin with, whereas social learning theory can accredit it to the child modelling the juggler for having exceptional skills the child does not. Overall, social learning theory demonstrates the role of cognition in learning and also how complex social behaviours can be acquired. Furthermore, it makes use of the experimental method to test theories and insists on the use of human research. However, social learning theory also neglects the role of biology and hereditary and does not explain the process by which abstract ideas can be learnt.